The state visit by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan marks a pivotal moment, elevating bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
\nPacked with high-level talks, massive investment pledges, and over 30 agreements, the trip signals a new era of connectivity between Central and South Asia amid global challenges like supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions.
\nThe visit kicked off with the inaugural session of the High-Level Strategic Partnership Council, launched during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s 2025 trip to Uzbekistan, First Deputy Director, and Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Akramjon Ne\u2019matov said in an article published by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad.
\nPresident Mirziyoyev held key meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, underscoring deep political trust on security, trade, and regional stability.
\nAs the economic boom takes Center stage, trade between the nations skyrocketed from $30 million in 2017 to nearly $500 million by 2025, a 15-fold increase.
\nThe leaders set a bold target of $2 billion in bilateral trade, backed by a five-year roadmap and a joint working group.
\nNew trade preferences cover over 40 product categories each way, plus expanded phytosanitary permits, diversifying exports in textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and more.
\nPakistani investments in Uzbekistan hit $70 million in 2025 alone, up from $33 million in 2024, fueling 230 joint ventures in sectors like textiles, pharma, and banking.
\nA business forum, co-chaired by Mirziyoyev and Sharif, unveiled a $3.5 billion project portfolio.
\nMeetings with giants like Engro Group, Gohar Textile, and HRL Group promised tech transfers and market access.
\nTo lock it in, the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Council was established.
\nWith connectivity and infrastructure leap forward, transport topped the agenda, with major progress on the Trans-Afghan railway.
\nThis corridor could slash Uzbekistan-Pakistan cargo times from 35 days to 3-5 days, cut costs by 30-40%, and handle 3 million tons annually at launch, scaling to 15-20 million.
\nMultimodal routes like Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Pakistan and new direct flights to Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi round out the push.
\nIndustrial ties expand in textiles, pharma, and digital tech, including Information Technology (IT) clusters and Artificial Intelligence (AI) exchanges.
\nCultural bonds shine too, Pakistani students in Uzbekistan rose to 1,600 by 2025, tourists hit 10,000 (up 2.5x since 2023), and plans include Uzbek Culture Weeks, cinema days, and a Lahore cultural centre honouring the Baburids.
\nFrom regions to Think Tanks, agreements span 30 major areas, from security to ecology.
\nNew regional forums link Termez-Peshawar and Samarkand-Islamabad; universities like Tashkent State Oriental Studies and Peshawar partner up. An Uzbek-Pakistani Expert Council will guide policy.
\nPresident of Uzbekistan Mirziyoyev received Pakistan\u2019s top honour, Nishan-e-Pakistan, plus honorary degrees from the National University of Sciences and Technology.
\nSymbolic nods include Tashkent Street and Babur Park in Islamabad.
\nThis visit doesn\u2019t just deepen ties but it positions Uzbek-Pakistani cooperation as a stability anchor for the macro-region, driving jobs, growth, and resilience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The state visit by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan marks a pivotal moment, elevating bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Packed with high-level talks, massive investment pledges, and over 30 agreements, the trip signals a new era of connectivity between Central and South Asia amid global challenges like supply chain disruptions and geopolitical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":530351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-530341","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n